Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Microsoft Advertising’s Exact Match Priority Over Ad Rank
Exact match keywords in Microsoft Advertising campaigns take precedence over Ad Rank. When running both Performance Max (PMax) and Search campaigns, an exact match keyword from Search will always win. Ad Rank—which includes bid amount, ad performance, relevance, and extensions—only comes into play if no exact match keyword is triggered. Broad match and PMax ads serve more frequently due to higher match probabilities.
Optimixed’s Overview: How Microsoft Advertising Prioritizes Exact Match Keywords Above Ad Rank
Understanding Exact Match vs. Ad Rank in Microsoft Ads
Navah Hopkins, Microsoft Advertising’s Ads Liaison, clarified the hierarchy of ad serving priorities on social platforms like X and LinkedIn. The key takeaway is that exact match keywords always have priority over the Ad Rank when determining which ad will serve.
Key Points Explained
- Exact Match Priority: If an exact match keyword triggers an ad, that ad will serve regardless of its Ad Rank.
- Ad Rank Composition: When no exact match is found, Ad Rank factors determine the winning ad. These include:
- Bid amount
- Ad performance metrics like click-through rate
- Ad relevance
- Ad extensions
- Competition from other ads
- Campaign Overlap: In scenarios with both Performance Max (PMax) and Search campaigns, exact match keywords from Search campaigns will override PMax ads.
- Serving Probability: Although exact match is prioritized, its chance of triggering a conversation exactly matching the keyword is low, so broad match and PMax ads typically serve more often.
What This Means for Advertisers
Advertisers should strategically use exact match keywords in their Search campaigns to secure higher priority in ad serving. Understanding the components of Ad Rank helps optimize bids and ad quality for situations when exact matches aren’t triggered. This prioritization ensures more control over which ads appear, especially when running mixed campaign types.
